Don Johnson gets $23 million verdict in 'Nash Bridges' case

Maybe in another place and time, it would've been the perfect case for a "Miami Vice" episode. But as it stands, a Los Angeles jury has awarded actor Don Johnson $23.2 million in profits from the 1990s TV show "Nash Bridges."

Johnson, 60, who rose to fame playing James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV show "Miami Vice," sued the production company Rysher Entertainment and two other firms, claiming he was owed half the profits from the police drama "Nash Bridges" because he owned half its copyright. He also sued Qualia Capital and 2929 Entertainment as part of the case.

The superior court jury sided with Johnson Wednesday and agreed that his show contract included a provision that named him 50% owner in the show's copyright .

"It was my idea, and I owned the rights in the first place," Johnson said in a statement after the verdict.

If the verdict stands, Johnson could get another $25 million in the future because "Nash Bridges" is still being shown in 45 countries, Johnson's lawyer Mark Holscher told the BBC. The showed originally aired from 1996 to 2001.

In a statement, Rysher Entertainment lawyer Bart H. Williams said the company will appeal the ruling.

"Rysher is extremely disappointed in today's verdict ... and will aggressively pursue all legal recourse," Williams said. "We are ready to undergo the appeals process and are confident that in the end, today's outcome will be reversed."

No word yet on whether Johnson will use the money, a la Sonny Crockett, to buy an endless supply of white dress suits.